This is the problem when the supply line for a team’s attackers flows through a single player, and even more so when that supply line is the team’s best player (bar Ronaldo). The fact that we have two full backs creating chances (rather than a single 10) as well as forwards who can create their own chances makes defending us into a game of Whack-a-mole, which is tough to shut down. Ronaldo is a supreme finisher but he’s not going to come deep for the ball and run at teams, so it’s up to the team to get the ball to him. And since most of his supply is going to come through Bruno (and a bit of Shaw, but not as much), man-marking Bruno is much easier than dealing with a team of threats.
I don’t profess to know everything about the Glazers’ ownership, but the fact that they’ve leveraged so much debt against the club that it can’t be good for them long term, no matter how much they’re bringing in. Sure they have large matchday turnover and are a powerful brand, but the Old Trafford fixes — never mind transfer fees and wages — ain’t going to come any cheaper as time goes on, either.
I’m baffled by it. The debt repayments have been enormous, and they have taken a good amount out for themselves as well. yet they’ve still kept spending. All the concern about their financial strategy was based on it preventing them exercising their financial muscle in the transfer market. But that hasn’t been remotely the case. If anything they have mad decisions precisely because of they money they’ve had to spent and with more financial restraints might have been forced to forgo shiny things and pursued a sound footballing strategy.
We know their infrastructure needs work. But has it really just been a direction of funds away from that avenue that has allowed so much money to keep going in those other 3 directions?
The cost of debt has fallen substantially over the last decade, which allows them to owe a lot more at an affordable amount.
They have also listed the company and sold shares to provide them with funds (including this year).
They remain a strong generator of revenues.
What a fan he can’t even spell Ole’s name right.
I’m not the sharpest tool in the box, so this thread gives me mixed signals - they are severely impacted by COVID, yet they are not severely impacted by COVID and are able to sign three very expensive players and give them weekly wages of about one million pounds combined because they have humongous commercial revenue?
They were affected by Covid - losing around £160m worth of income but much of that was from matchday revenue.
However, they continue to have other strong revenues streams and had a number of tailwinds that limited that loss - Being back in the Champions league last season gave them a lot more tv revenue for example, and they are no longer paying out on contracts of staff they have sacked. They also gained from the fall in the value of the £ as a big chunk of their revenues is coming from overseas. They haven’t really sold many players for significant sums over the last decade so are not reliant on that as an income where as the rest of the leading clubs in England are to some extent. They’ve also sold some shares in the club this year which gives them some cash.
They remain a financial powerhouse. They do have several deals coming up for renewal which may not be as generous as those they already have, particularly if they can’t get regular CL football. There is also the risk that the debts become difficult to manage when interest rates start going up again and they need to refurbish their stadium.
Basically they are global financial crisis away from being fucked.
That probably depends on the length of its debt. Much of it is issued as long term bonds which is more stable than short term bank and transfer debts, particularly if they have been able to replace some of the older debt with new issues as interest rates now are so low.
@Limiescouse It’s almost as if my ears were burning — The Athletic just published a look at the Glazers’ ownership this morning.
Seems as stable as a building built on sand.
That would be Everton’s new stadium.
It is just like Everton to build a stadium right next to the sea with climate change slowly rising sea levels.
Anyhow Man U already down by 1, no Ronaldo tonight.
Sancho is somewhat fortunate for the buzz and attention of Ronaldo joining, and not much focus on him. He’s been awful.
Much of Dortmund’s offense came through Sancho and he saw a lot of the ball. Obviously in BL he also had much more time to make decisions. It hasn’t been the same so far at United, in PL.
People also forget it took him almost half the BL season last year to register his first league goal. I’m sure he will be fine in the league cups against lower competition as he did in the Pokal. Still a young man with potential but I also think Jadon Sancho is massively overrated.
Couldn’t agree more, he’s been gash. To be fair to him, he’s not being utilized in the same way as BVB used him. United play one way - get the ball to Bruno. That’s it. He is not Bruno, so therefore his only job is to try and get the ball to Bruno somehow.
United have got some absolute shite in their second 11.
Dalot and Telles are crap. Mata and Martial are crap. Van De Beek and Matic? Even Fred is safe.
If their best 13 players can stay fit all season they can have a stab at a trophy. Lose a few of those for long periods of time and they’ll be out the top 4, or at least a distant 4th.
Matic just got away with kneeing one of the WH players in the midsection after the whistle
And then Bailly starts play acting to try to get Noble sent off.
That was pretty embarrassing.